A WORLD OF EMPATHY AND LOVE - BLOGCHATTER HALF MARATHON 2023
Hallmark Ideas
A few months ago, a venerable gentleman passed away, having lived a full and wonderful life imbued with joy. He had his entire family around him, including his children, who were themselves grandparents. He went peacefully, which is considered a blessing in itself.
There was a gathering of family members, friends and
admirers who thronged to the house to pay their last respects to the benign
soul. They came, offering their condolences to the bereaved family members, who
were dignified in their sorrow. The deceased gentleman seemed to be merely
sleeping, so peaceful was his face.
Since the grandchildren and the great grandchildren were
abroad, they had asked for a video call so that they too could have one last
glimpse of their beloved one before his mortal remains were consigned to the
holy fire that would take his soul to the heavens.
Visitors kept walking in in a continuous procession. It
was evident that the gentleman had been much loved and revered. They waited for the rituals that would be performed just before the last journey.
There was an air of sorrow all around, but beyond that
there was also a sense of relief that he had not suffered in his final hours.
Isn’t that a thought that stays like a phantom in people’s minds as they prepare
to bid farewell to a loved one? A prayer that he or she should move on in peace
and tranquillity to a better place?
In a while, it was time to shift outside. The family men
who had to do the final rites stood in their wet dhotis after a wash, which symbolised
a dip in a holy river. After everyone present had touched the feet of the
departed soul, the mourners picked him up and took him outside where he was
placed for the rites to be performed. The ambulance had arrived and there
was silence all around. The final moment had arrived.
As the priest intoned his prayers and instructed the
mourners to secure the mortal remains, there was a sudden mewing from a tiny
cat that stood behind. It had suddenly appeared as though to say Goodbye to its
master, a little black and white creature that seemed to want to add its own sorrow
to the grave occasion. From the time the priest began his ministrations till
the moment the worthy gentleman’s mortal remains were placed in the ambulance,
this wee mite continued to cry, loud and clear.
There have been tales galore of dogs that have grieved
the passing of their masters and have lingered at their graves for days on end.
The most famous of them was Hachiko, who is a national icon in Japan. When his
master died and failed to show up at the train station where his beloved pet
waited for him every day, Hachiko was obviously distressed. For the next nine
years, he kept returning to the same spot every single day, till he died in
1935.
The Times of India came out with an article titled 'Celebrating 100 years of Hachiko: The loyal dog who waited for his dead master for decades.'
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/etimes/trending/celebrating-100-years-of-hachiko-the-loyal-dog-who-waited-for-his-dead-master-for-decades/articleshow/101463856.cms?from=mdr
Dogs often do not understand that death is final and
hence, they wait for their loved owners to come back to them. This is why they
stay on, refusing to let go.
It is believed that there are other species of animals
that grieve as well. Elephants feel loss and weep when they lose loved
ones. They bury their dead and pay tribute to them in their own ways. Monkeys
who are believed to be closest to the human species huddle together in groups
and mourn when one of them dies. They become depressed and sometimes starve to
death.
In Kenya, a mother giraffe, devastated at the death of
her one-month-old calf, refused to move from the side of the body for four
days. Other giraffes seemed to share in her sorrow by wrapping their long necks
around one another in commiseration.
Dolphins also seem to understand the meaning of mortality,
and support their dead on the surface of the water.
One of the sweetest sights I ever witnessed was why my
daughter, Priyanka’s beautiful grey cat, Tyrion, passed away. Tyrion was an
independent little soul who had formed many friendships during his nocturnal
(and diurnal) wanderings. He did have an enemy or two as well, proven by the
scratches and wounds he came back with, occasionally.
Photo Courtesy: Priyanka Menon Rao
When he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, the whole
family rallied around to make his last days comfortable. I still remember those
days when his friends, the other cats in the building, would come visiting and
be around him. The way they stayed with him, now that his hunting days were
over, was unbelievable.
After Tyrion passed away, his friends kept coming back to
the spot where he died. It was as if they were paying their respects to their
old pal.
We can learn so much from these beautiful
creatures whom God has created to be the companions of humans. It is said that
the only creature in the world that is cruel is man. Animals hunt and
prey when they are hungry, never for pleasure, unlike man. Sad, because we
humans are the only thinking animals as well, and it is within our power to make
the world around us a heaven or a hell.
May we opt for the former!
Let me end with one of my favourite songs of all times.
For those who would like to listen to the song, here is the link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FT_oDqOEGpc
This post is a part of the Blogchatter Half Marathon 2023.
Such a beautiful post, Deepti. And Hachiko (the movie) made me cry. One of the handful movies that moved me to tears
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your warm comment, Manali! It means a lot.
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